Since 2019, curriculum reviews and reports have shown the need for a consistent approach to learner profiling.
Instead of multiple profiles, learners should be able to capture their achievements in one place, across any settings.
My Profile – a new approach
In January 2025, My Profile was brought to life, giving a holistic view of learners’ progress. It’s a dynamic digital tool that helps learners to:
- talk about and reflect on their evolving strengths, to help them know themselves better
- develop metacognition
- have agency in their learning
- become more confident in describing their skills and strengths
- plan their career journey
- tell their own story of who they are
Who’s been involved
We’ve worked in partnership with Education Scotland and a National Co-design Group since December 2022 to determine key issues right through to guiding the approach and solutions. The National Co-design Group has representation at national, regional and local levels from a wide range of settings including:
- SQA
- SCQF
- Youth Scotland and the youth sector
- Gaelic Medium Education (GME)
- early years
- primary and secondary schools
- youth sector
- local authorities and community learning
- colleges and universities
- employers
Our co-design approach
Throughout 2023, we co-designed with learners and educators to develop and test My Profile. Over 100 people were involved in the co-design sessions, including 91 learners and 11 educators.
Young people’s innovative ideas from our co-design sessions significantly shaped My Profile. These fresh perspectives, often beyond our design team’s initial scope, improved the final product.
The vision and future of My Profile
1. Free and consistent access for young people
The vision of the National Co-Design group is for My Profile to be the national free digital solution, adopted across the whole of Scotland. Currently there are many digital and paper-based profile solutions, as well as duplication of effort and multiple costs. My Profile is a single solution, meaning reduced costs and consistent quality.
2. Learner owns their profile
Until now, a learner’s profile hasn’t moved with them between institutions. With My Profile, it’s owned by the learner and will travel with them throughout their journey.
3. Holistic view
My Profile gives an overall view of learners. It’ll tell the whole story of who they are and what they can do, including achievements and skills development, in and out of an education setting.
4. Help discussions and reporting
My Profile enhances discussions between learners and practitioners about achievements and skills. It can also be used for applications and parental reporting.
5. Data to help make decisions
National, regional and local data will help target interventions to support learners and macro data to support strategic decisions. We're currently scoping which management information will give school leadership the most valuable insights. This will support informed decision-making and strategic planning.
Profiling Achievements webinars
Join one of our webinars for further insight. You'll learn how to use My Profile effectively and integrate it into your classroom to empower your students! The webinars will cover:
- future developments
- approaches for implementation within the curriculum
- future ambitions to strengthen connections across the education and skills landscape
They're suitable for:
- primary and secondary school leadership teams
- PSE/Guidance staff
- curriculum teachers
- DYW co-ordinators
- Local Authority Education departments
- youth workers
- community learning development
Webinar dates
Join one of our webinars to gain further insight into the My Profile tool. You'll learn how to use it effectively and discover how to integrate it into your classroom to empower your students!
All webinar times are 4:00pm to 5:00pm. The Profiling Achievement and Scotland's Learner Profile webinar is available on two different dates. Choose each link to find out more and register:
- Introduction to Profiling Achievements and the National Learner Profile – Monday 8 September
- Profiling Achievement and Scotland's Learner Profile – Tuesday 9 September
- The Learner Profile – New Developments in Profile Sharing, Institution Dashboards and Teacher Resources – Tuesday 16 September
- Profiling Achievement and Scotland's Learner Profile – Wednesday 17 September
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